Rarebits, 2020–2021

RAREBITS RUMSEY HALL SCHOOL | 2020/21

Contents 2020–2021

FEATURES

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Meet Ian Craig, Rumsey's Tenth Head of School

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Qui Non Proficit Deficit in the Age of the Pandemic

On July 1, we welcomed Ian Craig into office as Rumsey's tenth Head of School. An introduction to Ian, his experience, and values.

COVID-19 drastically changed the learning landscape in schools: how Rumsey embraced the opportunity to grow.

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The Perfect Season

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Gratitude and Giving

In 1970, the Varsity Football team, coached by Lou Magnoli, had a remarkable undefeated season.

Rumsey parents reflect on an unprecedented year.

RAREBITS EDITORIAL AND DESIGN TEAM

DEPARTMENTS 3 18 28 30

From the Head Blue Dog Athletics Belonging

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Outdoor Learning Health & Well-being Art Seniors Admissions Advancement Class Notes From the Vault

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Community Engagement

EDITOR, LAYOUT, AND DESIGN Kristen Kerwin, Director of Communications ADDITIONAL EDITORS Cynthia Hogan Michelle Rittler P'30 Trish Silvernail PHOTOGRAPHY Seshu Badrinath Jillian Dufresne Phil Dutton Kristen Kerwin Ross Mortensen Roman Woloszyn Faculty and Staff Cover: Roman Photography CONTRIBUTORS Valerie DiLorenzo P'15, '18 Brooke Giese P'23, '27 Clayton Ketchum P'14, '17 Gil Thornfeldt Rumsey Circle Parents Association

This book was printed with solar power, using LED UV process ink on recycled paper.

SPOTLIGHTS 10 36 38 40 44

Board Faculty Brooke Giese P'23, '27 Camila Xu '22 Alumni

RUMSEY ONLINE rumseyhall.org facebook.com/rumseyhallschool instagram.com/rumseyhallschool vimeo.com/rumseyhall flickr.com/photos/rumseyhallschool linkedin.com/company/rumsey-hall-school

Rumsey Hall School HEAD OF SCHOOL Ian Craig

ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL Brooke Giese P'23, '27

WEB EXTRAS Keep an eye out for the 'web extra' icon throughout this magazine. Follow the links to online stories, videos, and photo galleries.

ON THE COVER Lower School students paint the Shepaug River at Treasure Island. ROMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

SUBMISSIONS Alumni may contribute updates to: Rumsey Hall School Advancement Office 201 Romford Road Washington Depot, CT 06794 860.868.0535 alumni@rumseyhall.org rumseyhall.org/classnotes Rumsey Hall School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion or disability in admission or employment in its programs and activities.

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Dear Rumsey Community, Years ago, my wife was going for her daily run. When she arrived home, she described a mysterious, orange fungus that she had seen. Knowing that my then ten-year-old son, Cooper, loved that sort of thing, we piled into the car to go take a look. We captured the strange plant in an empty cup for further inspection.

We returned home and placed the plant in the backyard, and then my son disappeared for a while while I did some work around the house. He returned forty-five minutes later with a full page of notes he had written from the internet and announced proudly, "It's a slime-mold! Let's take a picture and send it to Mr. Holden (his science teacher)." We sent the photo to his teacher along with his hypothesis. A very short time later, Mr. Holden replied with an equally-excited email to announce that Cooper was indeed correct and suggested that he bring the specimen in on Monday for a closer peek under the microscope.

This fairly brief event got me thinking about the conditions that occurred for my son—or any child for that matter— to take time on their day off from school to be inquisitive. What is it that drives children to take action to educate themselves on something that is clearly not a part of the formal curriculum? It also got me thinking about the feedback I have received from the dozens of Rumsey teachers, students, and alumni who’ve shared their stories with me since I arrived at the School.

First, it is critical for children to have parents and other charismatic adults in their life to inspire and celebrate their enthusiasm and curiosity. If my wife had not been so excited for our son about the strange mold, I'm not sure he would have shared her eagerness: it’s clear this happens all the time here at Rumsey. It’s also important to acknowledge the teacher that took time on a day off to share in the thrill of discovery for learning outside of the curriculum. Did my child feel he could go to any of his teachers with an outside interest for a meaningful interaction? Absolutely.

Since the moment I arrived on campus, I’ve heard that the Rumsey community is incredibly special—that students truly value the relationship that they have with their teachers. In and out of the classrooms, our teachers go above and beyond to engage with their students and to share in the joy of learning.

Second, it is key for children to be empowered to search out answers on their own. In this case, my son had the tools and know-how to do an appropriate search on the internet and email a photo to his teacher from his school email account in order to receive feedback. Kids don’t necessarily need to know everything; yet, they do need to know how to safely find accurate information in the digital era.

This skills-based approach is also something that has resonated with so many at Rumsey. While content is important— even crucial in many areas—teaching kids how to think is likely the more important skill that they will take with them to high school and beyond. Learning to love to learn is clearly valued at Rumsey and is made intentional by our teachers.

It is essential to value the learning that takes place outside of the classroom in order for children to grow up to be lifelong learners.

Slime-molds may not be part of a written academic curriculum; however, fostering a child’s boundless imagination and innate creativity absolutely is, and will always be, paramount.

Ian Craig Head of School 2020/21 3

Ian Craig

Rumsey Hall's Tenth Head of School On July 1, we welcomed Ian Craig into office as our tenth Head of School.

"We are thrilled to welcome Ian Craig, his wife Holly, and his daughter Maia to the Rumsey Hall campus. As a school that values effort, family, and community, we look forward to teaming with Ian as he begins his tenure as Rumsey's tenth Head of School."

- Greg Warner P'17, Chair of Rumsey Hall's Board of Trustees Since our School's founding in 1900, we have held on to our traditions while challenging ourselves and our students to grow from the foundation of our deeply-rooted history. Our students, faculty, staff, and administrators serve each other and their community, find the courage to be themselves and enjoy the benefits of connection and growth. Our leaders have the honor and responsibility of inspiring the Rumsey family to strive in their best effort—to continue moving forward in honesty, kindness, and respect.

With this incredible charge in mind, the Head of School position at Rumsey is vital to our thriving community.

Ian’s father was an independent school head and Ian attended Trinity-Pawling School during high school.

As we embark on a new leg of our journey into a memorable era of academic excellence and resourcefulness, we are confident our new Head of School, Ian Craig, will lead us with expertise, compassion, and determination. As an approachable overseer who values his relationships with a wide array of people represented in an independent school, Ian understands the importance of getting involved in dayto-day activities.

“I am delighted and honored to begin my appointment as Head of School at Rumsey Hall,” said Ian. “With every faculty and staff member, student, parent, and alumni I meet, the strong attachment to the school is abundantly clear. The positive spirit of the community is palpable.”

As a student, parent, educator, coach, and administrator, Ian’s experience garnered him the expertise to understand the roles vital to the success of an independent school. “As someone who spent a career in boarding schools, I am extremely excited about Ian's appointment as our next Head of School,” stated Graham Cole, search committee consultant and retired Head of School at Westminster School in Simsbury, CT. "In my view, this is a perfect match of his experience, style, and skills with our ethos, values, and needs. A proven, outstanding leader, Ian is just the right person to solidify our place in the front rank of junior boarding schools and move the school forward to a very bright future."

Ian has been Head of School for three independent schools: Harding Academy in Nashville, Tennessee; Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, Texas; and Interim Head of School at Metairie Park Country Day School in Metairie, Louisiana. Since childhood and throughout his career, Ian has been immersed in the independent school culture:

Ian and his wife, Holly, have three children: Holden, a recent college graduate living in Oklahoma; Cooper, a recent high school graduate who serves in the Navy; and Maia, who joined their family nearly three years ago through adoption.

Ian is an avid reader who enjoys running and playing the guitar, in addition to playing ice hockey whenever he can.

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Ian Craig, Head of School

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"Looking forward, I strongly intend to hold fast to the traditions and values that have made Rumsey the amazing school that it is today. Together, we will explore new initiatives to forge ahead—all the while building on the foundation set by countless remarkable men and women throughout Rumsey’s history. As Head of School, I am looking forward to listening, serving, and collaborating in order to create a steadfast future for Rumsey Hall School."

— Ian Craig

www.rumseyhall.org/headofschool 6 Rarebits

Holly, Ian, and Maia Craig with their black lab, Gump.

Lillias Rumsey Sanford: Our Founder and First Head of School "Parents will find the school an excellent one for characterbuilding." - Lillias Rumsey Sanford On October 1, 1900, Mrs. Lillias Rumsey Sanford of Seneca Falls, New York founded Rumsey Hall School, the second private nondenominational pre-preparatory school in the United States. It was called “The Terrace: Mrs. Sanford’s School for Boys” and was located in a mansion which Lillias Sanford’s father built called Rumsey Hall. In its inaugural year, there were seven students. For the first year, Mrs. Sanford acted as Head of School, beginning the tradition of excellence in leadership.

Ian was born in Montreal but grew up in Long Island, New York. He holds a B.A. from Syracuse University in International Relations and an M.A. from New York University in Secondary Social Studies Education.

Ian was published in the Independent School Magazine twice and has been a presenter at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and Index Conferences, in addition to presenting at the New Faculty Institute at Vanderbilt University. He served on the board of the Southern Association of Independent Schools and until recently served on the Standards Committee of the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest.

“Ian brings valuable outside experience to Rumsey Hall,” explained Rumsey Board Chair Greg Warner P'17, “we’re confident he will provide strong leadership and mentoring to our faculty and administration and will position the school for the future while adhering to the elements that make Rumsey such a treasured place for everyone the school has touched.”

As the 2021-2022 academic year gets underway, Ian is poised with excitement to get rolling. He stated, “The beginning of the school year represents a fresh start and new resolutions to create and uphold, both of which I look forward to with great anticipation.”

Holly, Maia, and Ian Craig on the Solley House back porch.

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EFFORT

BELONGING

TOGETHERNESS

With courage and with each other, we overcame a challenging year.

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FROM THE BOARD CHAIR

Greg Warner P’17 I have to imagine that this past academic year was one of the most eventful in Rumsey Hall’s 121-year history. The pandemic brought unprecedented challenges— educational, financial, and technical— not to mention all that was required to keep our School open and our community members safe.

rose to the occasion by essentially reimagining teaching at Rumsey and keeping the School running without interruption—both on campus and around the world through remote learning.

In countless ways, the School’s response confirmed what we already knew about the remarkable strength, character, and resilience of the Rumsey Hall community. On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, I extend my gratitude to all those parents, students, alumni, teachers, and staff whose tireless efforts, endless patience, willing cooperation, and resolute commitment to Rumsey Hall made the year the success it was.

The Board of Trustees also stood tall for Rumsey last year. Following months of work, the Head of School Search Committee appointed a new leader for the School, and we couldn’t be more excited by the result. Ian Craig brings a wealth of boarding school experience and leadership ability to Rumsey. I am especially grateful to the Board for stepping up to lead Rumsey’s Annual Fund through last fall’s Trustee Matching Challenge. Thank you to everyone who participated in this campaign.

Of course, Interim Head of School Brooke Giese P’23, ’27 deserves our profound gratitude for her enormously effective and thoughtful leadership of the School and for guiding the administrative team and the on-campus community through countless challenges. We extend our thanks as well to the teachers and staff who, setting aside their own anxiety, health concerns, and fatigue,

As we look forward, there is much to celebrate. During the pandemic, the school hired Gil Thornfeldt, a deeply experienced and highly skilled CFO, to oversee the School’s finances and operations. We are also excited that Ben Pastor P'27, '29, a very successful and experienced independent school advancement officer, joined us over the summer as Rumsey’s new Director of Advancement. And, as

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I write this message, the Admission Office is reporting a record level of interest in the School.

In sum, Rumsey Hall School is strong, indeed thriving, and I couldn’t be more excited about what lies ahead for this special institution.

With thanks to all, GW

2021–2022 Board of Trustees CHAIR Gregory Warner P’17 VICE CHAIR Suzanne Blaicher P’23, ’23 TREASURER John Fauster P’19 SECRETARY Gregory Loss P’18, ’19, ’22 MEMBERS Lauren Booth P’13, ’15, ’19, ’27, ’27 Graham Cole Manuel Grullon ’00 Amie Kreisberg P’18 Nicholas Logothetis ’03 Adrienne Lufkin P’20, ’24 Gregory Matthews P’18 Anne Murdica P’24, ’26 Thomas Sheehy III P’00 Elizabeth (Schereschewsky) Stout ’56

BOARD NEWS

WELCOME TO THE BOARD We are excited to welcome Lauren Booth P’13, ’15, ’19, ’27, ’27, Graham Cole, and Anne Murdica P’24, ’26 to our Board of Trustees. We look forward to the positivity and expertise they will bring to our leadership team.

Lauren Booth P’13, ’15, ’19, ’27, ’27

Lauren and her husband Mark live in Roxbury and are the parents of graduates Miles ’13, Colette "Coco" ’15, and Cy ’19. In 2020, Lauren and Mark rejoined the ranks of current Rumsey parents with the enrollment of their twin Ist Form students, Leo ’27 and Lola ’27.

Lauren is an accomplished mixed media artist whose solo exhibitions have been presented at the Mattatuk Museum in Waterbury, CT; Westbourne Studios Courtyard and Etienne Ozeki in London, England; and, group shows include The Harts Gallery in New Milford, CT; Bedales Gallery and Hortensia Gallery in London, England. Lauren’s work has also been featured in the Rothschild Collection at Windmill Hill and the Mattatuck Museum, as well as in distinguished collections around the world, including The Norman Foster Foundation headquarters in Madrid, Spain. Lauren's work has also been highlighted in Architectural Digest and displayed in distinguished collections around the world. Lauren completed her undergraduate studies at USC, followed by a two-year sculpture course at Kensington and Chelsea College in London.

Graham Cole

Graham and his wife Carol live in Pennington, New Jersey. Graham has been an integral source of wisdom for Rumsey Hall for two years. Graham initially served as a strategic planning consultant; however, for the last year, he joined the team of School Trustees and senior administrative leaders that guided the School through the transition in leadership, the pandemic, and the search for the new Head of School.

Graham is a graduate of the Mount Hermon School and Williams College. After a year in law school, he earned a Master’s degree in history at Columbia University.

For many years, Graham served as housemaster, history teacher, lacrosse coach, and Dean of Faculty at the The Lawrenceville School. He also served as Lawrenceville’s interim Headmaster. In 1993, Graham was appointed Headmaster of the Westminster School, where he served until his retirement in 2010.

Since retiring, he has served, and continues to serve on the boards of The Governor’s Academy, The Frederick Gunn School, Harlem Academy, and as an elder of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

Anne Murdica P’24, ’26

Anne and her husband Jim live in Morris, CT and are the parents of Charles ’26 and Jack ’24. She is a graduate of The Taft School, Northwestern University, and Cornell Law School.

Anne is a member of the Connecticut firm of Secor, Cassidy & McPartland PC, and focuses on commercial and civil litigation, as well as workers’ compensation matters and various forms of commercial transactions. She has successfully represented clients in state and federal courts, as well as in administrative proceedings, and regularly advises clients on issues related to contract negotiations, real estate transactions, and land use. She is a member of the Connecticut, Litchfield County, and Waterbury Bar Associations, and serves as vice president of the Bantam Lake Protective Association Board of Trustees.

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Nick Solley ’64

Helping Rumsey Grow for 32 Years With gratitude for his steadfast wisdom and unwavering dedication to Rumsey Hall School, we honor Nick Solley ’64 for 32 years of uninterrupted service on our Board of Trustees.

"Nick’s lifelong commitment to Rumsey Hall has been just amazing. Working with him on the Board these past few years has been a real joy. His knowledge of the School’s history and culture has been invaluable. The Board will really miss his great ideas, infectious energy, positive attitude, and warm sense of humor. I know Nick’s heart is still at Rumsey and I have no doubt that he will continue to serve the School in many ways.

Nick, thank you for all you have done for Rumsey!"

- Greg Warner P'17, Board Chair

Nick served as the Chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee and has had a direct impact on the transformation of Rumsey’s physical plant ever since.

SOME KEY PROJECTS: Septic systems, water lines, and threephase electricity were installed.

2018: Nick worked with the Bronson family to purchase the neighboring 83-acre valley property to allow for the possibility of further expansion for faculty housing, athletic fields, and maintenance facilities.

Nick concludes 32 years of uninterrupted service on the Board of Trustees.

2020

Nick resumed his tenure as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Nick was appointed Interim Board Chair in October 2017 and was officially appointed Chair in April 2018.

FO H R ON 2 O SE 9 Y R E RV E A D I C RS E O

TED N I IR O APP D CHA R BOA

F

2016

BE G IN TE S N BO UR A E RD

1956–1964 Nick attends Rumsey Hall as a student.

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AP V I PO CE I N CH TE AI D R

2018

New campus center, dining hall, and hockey rink; renovated dorms; the administration building was razed and rebuilt doubling the original size, multiple classroom buildings were added and the gym space was increased to include a new performing arts center.

1999: Rumsey purchased 48 acres of land from our neighbor, Frances Mygatt, which allowed the renovation of the farmhouse to become the new house for the Head of School.

Then, two new athletic fields and three new tennis courts were added.

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S E AR 32 Y RVICE SE OF

1989

Nick was presented with the Rumsey Medal of Honor. The residence previously referred to as the Headmaster’s House was renamed Solley House in honor of Nick’s dedication and commitment to the people and programs of Rumsey.

Nick formally joins the Board of Trustees.

BOARD NEWS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE We are grateful for all the many ways Skip Gardella ’72, P’09, ’09, Craig Henrich P’13, ’14, William MacMullen P’10, ’12, Alex Murphy ’00, and Monica Vogelstein P’14, ’19 have served Rumsey Hall School as part of our Board of Trustees. We honor the time, energy, and wisdom they gave to ensure a bright and strong future for our School.

Louis "Skip" Gardella ’72, P’09, ’09 Years of Service: June 2008 – May 2014; June 2015 – April 2021 Skip served on the Buildings and Grounds Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Capital Campaign Committee. We thank Skip for his expertise on various Rumsey building projects throughout his 12 years of service on the Board of Trustees.

Craig Henrich P’13, ’14

Years of Service: June 2012 – April 2021 Craig served on the Finance Committee, the Development and Endowment Advisory Committee, and the Investment Committee. We thank Craig for his steadfast and integral input and guidance during his nine years of service on the Board of Trustees.

William MacMullen P’10, ’12 Years of Service: June 2017 – July 2021

Willy served on the Finance Committee, the Trustees Committee, and the School Life Committee. As a former Rumsey parent and the current Head of School at The Taft School, Willy's experience with the Rumsey community and his expertise as a school leader impacted us greatly.

Alex Murphy ’00

Years of Service: June 2015 – April 2021 Alex served on the Endowment Advisory Committee as Co-Chair and then Chair, the School Life Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, the Trustees Committee, the Blue Dog Fund Committee, and the Head of School Search Committee. We thank Alex for her intellect, her voice on our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) policies, and her contributions as a dedicated Rumsey Hall alumna.

Monica Vogelstein P’14, ’19

Years of Service: June 2014 – April 2020 Monica served several years as our Annual Auction/Benefit Chair and served on the Development/Advancement Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, the Trustees Committee, and the Head of School Search Committee. We thank Monica for her guidance and wisdom during her seven-year tenure on the Board. We are especially grateful for Monica's vision to establish the Blue Dog Fund.

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Qui Non Proficit Deficit in the Age of the Pandemic

by Valerie DiLorenzo P'15, '18

L

et’s explore Qui Non Proficit Deficit in the age of the pandemic. Qui Non Proficit Deficit means: They who do not advance fall behind. Is this a motto to live by now more than ever? A variety of faculty members— from teachers experiencing their first year at Rumsey through veteran Blue Dogs— shared their thoughts about the 2020–2021 academic year.

If you add up the years of teaching for the science department, the sum is greater than four decades! Through the years, teachers have learned many tricks and fallen into teaching habits that seemed to work for students. However, this year shook the department to its core. Is a lesson’s message clear? Could someone understand this lesson if they watched it on a prerecorded video? How do we form a relationship with students that

we have never actually met in person?

How do we make a classroom filled with students who are literally sitting in places all around the world feel connected to a lesson about cell organelles, simple machines, butterflies, rockets, or the Periodic Table? These questions challenged each teacher to examine curricula with fresh eyes and a new perspective. The department collaborated more than ever to brainstorm how to

Mrs. Butler's biology class extracts DNA from strawberries while distance-learning students join in via the OWL camera set up in the front of class.

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meet the needs of students. Zoom opened many new doors and ways of teaching.

Authors, surgeons, college students, and others virtually visited science classrooms to share their stories and perspectives.

Labs were taught at night virtually so international students could be part of the experience. Teachers figured out ways to have students conduct lab experiments in their homes. Distance Honors Biology students, for example, learned to extract DNA from a strawberry using ingredients in their kitchen! Teachers became masters of breakout rooms, FlipGrids, and slide presentations. Probably the most important learning for the science department as a whole is that any problem can have a creative and totally new solution, even if it has never been done that way before.

as Civics. It is the teacher’s job to make sense of the world for and with students.

Mr. Przygocki P'00, '03 could be found taking care of all sorts of logistics to make the athletics program run smoothly.

One might begin to understand the countless details that went into sports logistics when seeing Mr. Przygocki run up to the indoor tennis courts (which

this teacher was not going to fall behind technologically; instead he continued to move ahead and brought his quick wit and sense of humor right along with him.

Before the pandemic, Mrs. Rydingsword P'20, '23 shied away from using technology in the art room because she felt her classes should be filled with hands-on learning. This past year,

The OWL Camera records live 360 video for distance learners.

Zoom opened many new doors and ways of teaching.

For history teachers, Mr. Kinsella P'22, '23, '26 explained that the most meaningful application of this principle, “Qui Non Proficit Deficit”, is understanding the connections between history and the present moment. To draw parallels between historical events and current events is to keep history relevant.

Students who are challenged to make these connections understand that they are learning more than just history: they are learning the historical context of the present. The humanities teach students a way of thinking about the world. Very often current events provide the best curriculum, particularly in a class such

Upper School students collaborate on a project outside.

served as a dining hall to Lower School students) to set away desks and put up nets before an afternoon tennis match!

Like many other teachers, however, his preparation for his classroom teaching began during the summer of 2020, long before this pandemic academic year started. Mr. Przygocki learned all sorts of new technology, including creating a bitmoji that might bring some laughs to his classroom and colleagues. For sure,

however, she realized she would have to embrace it to connect with all of her students quickly. The result: the art room and the curriculum transformed.

Students now create art differently. Using various apps allowed remote learners with limited supplies to create their art and/ or to manipulate the traditional art they made. Furthermore, technology allowed for flipped learning. Creating a virtual copy of lessons assisted with student2020/21 15

A distance-learning student recites poetry to her classmates via Zoom.

directed learning since they could go back and review, learn, and develop at their own pace. Technology also provided an efficient way to track and assess student progress. Apps offered a place for students to organize their work long-term that didn't take up any physical space either, another plus for an art room!

Like many other faculty members, French teacher Ms. Ingersoll used this unprecedented school year to embrace something new. In the spring of 2020 when the pandemic sent classrooms all over the world into distance learning mode, whatever level of status quo she had achieved during the previous two terms had disappeared. Her goal was to put together a curriculum that would reflect the knowledge her students were authentically gaining from their French studies. Ms. Ingersoll chose to focus on assessment of students’ learning.

During the summer of 2020, she began thinking that one would be hard pressed to say that the solution to quell anxiety surrounding the pandemic, instances of racial injustice and the pressure of Zoom learning was to assign more quizzes and tests. She, therefore, embarked on a year without tests! Instead of traditional quizzes and tests, she chose to evaluate real, tangible knowledge through voice recordings and dictations. Students’ comments about this approach to assessment follow: “I like it because it 16 Rarebits

makes me feel like I don’t have to rush to know something I don’t understand. It is also a lot less stressful,”and, “It was very fun and I feel like everyone interacted

someway or another. Instead of just studying and learning the information for one day, you remember it because you make connections.” Her students

Upper School students use technology to collaborate with distance-learners.

demonstrated concrete understanding of the material and felt empowered by their language learning.

Over in the Language Skills department, this idea of Qui Non Proficit Deficit directly relates to the teaching and learning that happens every year in their classrooms. The Language Skills department recognizes that each student learns differently and in a unique way.

They teach their students skills that they can use in all of their classes and throughout their academic career (and lives) to help them “advance.” This year in particular, Mrs. Gutierrez added much more daily reading. The craziness of the past year aside, students do not get enough opportunities to read for enjoyment, or to hear someone read aloud. She thinks it really helped students to have time to read daily, either quietly or out loud, and she noticed a big improvement in her students’ reading skills and comprehension this year as a result of intentional daily reading.

Down in Mrs. Sagaria’s Pre-Primes classroom, they’re regularly moving forward and simply moving, in general!

She explained that particularly during these times, it is vital to implement various styles and intelligences into teaching and learning. Each child is special and requires their own unique connections to not only their teachers but their learning. Implementing and

Pre-Prime students enjoy a newly-hatched chick.

fostering an engaging, diverse and differentiated classroom is key to this. In order to meet the needs of every student, she meets them where they are. Offering choice allows students to shine where they feel most comfortable. She always starts the year with the most important announcement of all: “First grade is all about making mistakes. Mistakes are how we learn.” These words help students understand that they are never expected to be correct all the time. They just need to put their best foot forward.

Everyone has differing areas of strengths and weaknesses. It is this that makes a classroom so very special. She frequently says, “Everyone’s a teacher, everyone’s a learner.” This allows for her students to know that they can all learn from one another in some form or fashion. Kids need to know that their voice is heard and that it matters.

Every year, students are at the heart of what the library accomplishes.

How could the library remain an academic hub of the campus while serving as “surge space” during the pandemic?

The answer: embrace the travel (the traveling librarian) and reach beyond the library’s walls for programming. Short tutorial videos called “Linked to the Library” taught students and teachers how to use a variety of resources and/ or informed the Rumsey community about library programs. The Library Prefect program, perhaps, had its most successful year of the past ten years! Prefects were both

in-person and distance learners who occasionally met via Zoom as a team and used a platform called Jamboard to organize and keep track of their many programs. Some prefects were part of Rumsey’s Summer Reading Planning team and/or nErDcampCT Jr., a firstever event organized by the Connecticut Association of School Librarians (CASL) that focuses on reading, writing, literacy, and creativity. It is a phenomenal program that connects students with authors and illustrators throughout the country, and Rumsey students helped plan it! Throughout the year, students adapted well to new library procedures because of the pandemic. Students had to place holds on books through Destiny (Rumsey’s online catalog), for example, instead of coming into the library to browse for books. More authors than ever before also visited with students either through whole school programs or through individual class connections.

Most importantly, both students and faculty continued to read and research, despite the changes in the library’s physical space.

Feel free to ask any Rumsey teacher or staff member how the pandemic changed their professional lives. Everyone will have a story to tell. No matter what the story is, though, what remains constant is that at the core of what we do, we do it for our students. Reinvigorated with new ideas and many creative ways to make learning fun and engaging for everyone, Rumsey Hall will continue to move forward.

Valerie DiLorenzo P'15, '18 Library Media Specialist

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BLUE DOGS Due to COVID restrictions, Blue Dogs didn't compete interscholastically during the fall and winter seasons; however, Rumsey athletes experienced competition and healthy living in a whole new way.

During the fall and winter athletic seasons, Rumsey Blue Dogs stayed sharp by participating in a re-imagined athletic program.

Coaches designed safe sporting, recreational, artistic, and FUN activities for the community.

Students honed their athletic skills against each other on modified sports teams. They explored different avenues of whole-body wellness, such as yoga. They tapped into their creative side in the art studio.

They learned to stretch their understanding of their abilities and the importance of maintaining a healthy mindset and lifestyle ...even when it's challenging!

"I think the atypical format pushed kids out of their usual athletic comfort zones. They tried new sports, which arranged them into groups with different people than their typical sports teams would have. We had new ways of doing everything...so new and unique bonds and friendships formed between kids and coaches that otherwise wouldn't have."

-Liz Butler, P'20, '23 Assistant Director of Athletics

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Our buses stayed put in the fall and winter. But that didn't stop our Blue Dogs from finding creative ways to stay active!

TEAM-BUILDING Games in the Blue Dog Gym Coaches created outof-the box activities to promote engagement while building stamina.

Fierce Faculty Badminton Competitions Faculty went head-tohead to drive enthusiasm for sports among the student body.

KICKBALL That Age-Old Fitness Activity Blue Dogs explored time-honored methods to stay active outdoors.

STRENGTH TRAINING Utilizing Our Equipment Athletes built a solid foundation of strength with our campus gear.

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Rumsey Outdoor Adventure

As part of the reimagined athletic schedule this year, more students than ever participated in the Rumsey Outdoor Adventure (ROA) program.

Taking full advantage of our oncampus forests, rivers, ponds, and challenge courses, students tapped into their courage to find new ways to excel. Students explored their abilities and empowered their inner athletes through alternative activities like hiking, kayaking/canoeing, rockclimbing, team-building on our ropes course, archery, mountain biking, and disc golf. www.rumseyhall.org/roa 20 Rarebits

COURAGE-SEEKING IS A WAY OF LIFE This year, the Rumsey Outdoor Adventure program became a vital part of the School's commitment to health, wellness, and social-emotional learning. Because of the redesigned athletic program in the fall and winter, students that may have otherwise played on a traditional competitive team had the space and time to explore a different side of their athleticism. The number of students that participated in the program increased exponentially; in turn, Rumsey's ROA coaches tapped into the natural wealth of outdoor treasures to explore on campus and created additional group and individual activities. Members of the program sought their inner courage to canoe and kayak the Shepaug River. They hiked the many breathtaking trails this region is known for. They learned how to be agile and fierce to maneuver through the rocky trails on a mountain bike. They attempted feats of precision, strength, and collaborative problem-solving on our challenge course/rock-wall in the Blue Dog Gym. Students who participated in ROA had the unique experience of learning skills of selfconfidence and teamwork that will propel them forward in life for years to come.

"ROA is a fun opportunity for any student to access the outdoors to play, explore, and simply be active. Kids engage in lifestyle-fitness choices by biking, hiking, boating, and so much more, which are great activities that persist well into adulthood."

- Craig Ough P'23, Director of ROA

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SPRING GAMES BLUE DOGS COMPETE AGAIN

Finally!

After two seasons of honing their skills, building team spirit, and keeping their bodies healthy and active, Blue Dogs finally got out onto the fields, courts, and diamonds this spring. When the governor eased COVID restrictions, we pivoted quickly to give athletes the opportunity to compete against some of our rival schools.

SEASON STATS • Varsity Tennis 1–1 • Softball 1–1

• Girls Lacrosse 2–0 • Boys Baseball 2–1 • Boys Lacrosse 0–2

"After not playing competitive sports for 15 months, the Blue Dog spring teams represented the School with pride and sportsmanship. Our athletes were patient, positive, and willing to embrace changes in the

Varsity Baseball players cheer each other on during a home game.

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Varsity Lacrosse heads to Indian Mountain School for their first game in over a year.

programming this year. They stayed healthy, active, and tried new things.

I'd like to thank our coaches for adapting to new protocols and challenges. We are quite proud of our Blue Dogs this year!"

- Jay Przygocki P'00, '03, Director of Athletics

Coach Ko

lpak P'13

, '15, '17

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"The opportunity to wear the Rumsey uniform again was a proud moment for Athletics this spring." - Coach Jay

The Crew Team secures shells for transport after practice.

Coach Naclerio '05 gives Varsity Lacrosse players some winning advice for their game.

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The Perfect Season The 1970 Varsity Football Team: Rumsey Hall Unbeaten

by Clayton Ketchum P'14, '17 The Ford Pinto was introduced in September 1970.

27 year old Jimi Hendrix died in September 1970. The massive Laguna Fire raged in San Diego County the same month. PBS began broadcasting in October of 1970 and Gary Gaeblich set the land speed record in his vehicle Blue Flame which stood for nearly 13 years. 622 mph! The week of November 10, 1970 marked the first week in five years that there were no reported fatalities in Southeast Asia. 50 years ago, at Rumsey Hall, on what is now the Roy Football Field, a group of seventeen eighth and ninth graders put together a historic season—one that was etched into the memories of those who played, those who watched, and surely those who coached them. It was a season that will not soon be replicated—if ever replicated.

They outscored their opponents 296-6. Unbelievable.

Coached by Lou Magnoli and John Sherry, Jr., it is safe to say that these men remember fondly their time spent on the field with their teammates and their coaches.

How could they not? After all, it was a perfect season of 8-0. Undefeated and a hair away from being unscored upon—yielding the only score in the third quarter of the final game. They outscored their opponents 296-6.

Unbelievable. Don’t think for a second that the team forgets their moments on the Rumsey gridiron—they don’t!

Mark Magnoli '71, Lou’s son, who was in the unique position of living with his coach wrote the following: "My father once said that you could write the number of plays we had on the back of a postage stamp. That is because he coached fundamentals. I learned all my basics in both education and sports at Rumsey Hall— and that carried over throughout high school and college."

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Coaches Magnoli and Sherry present gold footballs to the unbeaten Rumsey team.

Michael Mercadante '71 wrote: "What could I say about Lou Magnoli that hasn’t been said repeatedly over the years? His commitment to not just the game of football but to the whole child-scholastics, decorum, physical and mental well-being—he covered all the bases all of the time…"

Quarterback, Charlie Messenger '71 reflected: "The most important thing I learned from Coach Magnoli and Coach Sherry was the same thing that they taught in the classroom, effort, and fundamentals. Unlike any other coaches I had during my athletic days, they taught us the game and then let us play the game. You can’t win a horse race without an exceptional horse and this team had a lot of exceptional horses. I would call this team a perfect storm and would not like to have played against us."

Brian Stancs '71 shared that Lou was, "without a doubt, the best coach I ever had."

Coach Magnoli, John Sherry Jr., and the 1970 Varsity Football team.

"They taught us much more than football..."

Jim Soverel '71 shares: "Thanks Coach Magnoli for showing me the joy and importance of sports. I went on to play in high school and college and coached youth teams as a parent."

Team Captain Harry Holt '71 wrote: "They taught us much more than football—teamwork, respect, hard work, and character to name a few."

As a coach, I would like to thank Lou as well. I had the great fortune of coaching with Lou for several years when he returned to Rumsey. Fundamentals and standard plays remained the formula, though he allowed us young guys to throw some flash into the play book.

He taught me to remain calm when things were not going our way, that referees never pick up flags because of something I may say, and that the players are always watching. Even when he was no longer coaching, we could count on him appearing at the start of practice in September to get a sense of the team and surely on game days.

Commendation letter from Governor John Dempsey dated November 17, 1970.

8 0 TO

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Gratitude and Grace

The Rumsey Circle Parents Association shares reflections from an unprecedented year. by the Rumsey Parents Association Executive Committee The Rumsey Circle Parents Association has been an integral part of the Rumsey community for decades. Their passion, support, and commitment to the School and its mission keeps parents connected throughout the year. This past year was an especially challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The circumstances inspired a rededication to their mission to keep parents connected and to continue Rumsey Circle traditions that have become so near and dear to the community.

Like so many around the world, we were launched into the digital world; as a result, the Rumsey Circle quickly converted to monthly Zoom meetings to keep parents engaged. This change, while new and unknown, led them to appreciate the capability of connecting with fellow Rumsey parents all around the world. Boarding parents, distancelearning parents, and day parents were all able to come together and bond in a new exciting way.

The 2020–2021 Rumsey Circle Parents Association Executive Committee: Anne Block P'23; Kate Eren P'28; Danielle Young P'22, '23, '26; Kady Nicksa P'26; Annette DeMague P'24, '25; and Michelle Rittler P'30 26 Rarebits

The launch of a revamped monthly Rumsey Circle newsletter and the establishment of a Facebook group provided two new ways for parents to keep tabs on important information from the School and to learn about special initiatives designed to foster togetherness.

With community in mind, the Rumsey Circle created two new projects this year—'Piece of the Pie' and 'Rumsey on My Mind'. Vice President Annette DeMague P’24, ’25 writes: “When asked to think about this year at Rumsey, the word gratitude comes to mind...gratitude for all that has happened to keep our children in school safely. The faculty, the staff, the maintenance crew, the nurses—they all helped make this possible. Their efforts go above and beyond the classroom."

I thought this would be a fun way to raise money for a good cause. Taking the lead from a more traditional “swear jar”, we asked students and their families to decorate their jar with all things Rumsey.

Their mission? To collect spare change every time someone in their family said something related to

Kate Eren P'28 reads a thank you letter from Associate Head of School, Brooke Giese.

Danielle Young P'22, '23, '26 collects pies for faculty and staff.

The pandemic forced us to reconsider how we, as parents, could express our gratitude. The Rumsey Circle worked hard to find new and creative ways to say thank you. One of our new projects was the 'Piece of the Pie' initiative. Parents near and far coordinated the drop-off of pies as a way to show appreciation for the faculty and staff ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

“The entire parent body came together multiple times this year to show our appreciation and love for the efforts made on behalf of our children.”

- Annette DeMague P’24, ’25 Treasurer Kate Eren P'28 writes: “I particularly had fun presenting the 'Rumsey on my Mind' fundraiser idea to support local food banks over winter break. With almost a month-long break (while many of us were still isolated at home),

the School. I think that this fundraiser gave families an easy opening to discuss the value of giving back to our local community and how important that is.

Many families in our area were struggling to put food on their tables due to the pandemic, so we donated the proceeds from this fundraiser to Our Daily Bread Food Bank in Danbury, CT.” Eren continues, “This was my first year as a member of the Rumsey Circle Executive Committee, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel much more involved than I ever have at Rumsey and it is a genuinely great feeling! With all of the challenges we faced over the year (i.e. not being able to gather, or to get out of cars and go “on” campus, etc.) I think the Rumsey Circle was able to come up with several events to keep the members of our community connected, whether from organizing Zoom happy hours for parents throughout the year to ensuring our annual Valentine’s Day fundraiser lived on. We turned the fundraiser into a virtual event and logged the most successful fundraiser in the event’s history!”

The Rumsey Circle’s efforts would not have been possible without Michelle Rittler P’30 and Trish Silvernail in the Advancement Office supporting us every step of the way.

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For Every One

Our Touchstone Phrase During an Extraordinary Year

"Your dream is the mole behind your ear, that chip in your front tooth, your freckles.

It's the thing that makes you special, but not the thing that makes you great.

~ Excerpt from For Every One by Jason Reynolds

For over twenty years, the Head of School has issued a theme for the year, a regularly referred-to mantra that provides a guiding principle or value: 'Raise the Bar', 'Paddle Out', 'Stand Up Together', 'All is One', etc. Given that this year was so different from any other, it seemed only fitting that the theme would reflect this change. This year we adopted a variation of the tradition, referring instead to a “Touchstone Text” (title: For Every One by Jason Reynolds) at different moments throughout the year. Each time we considered a passage from the text, we noticed something new about the author, about the 28 Rarebits

The courage in trying, the passion in living, and the acknowledgment and appreciation of the beauty happening around you does that."

protagonist, about the human experience, about ourselves.

Rather than begin the year with a predetermined theme, we agreed to let the theme reveal itself to us as the story unfolded. The story of this year was a tale of blending the old with the new; taking a known thing here and a strange thing there to create a new version of the old school we love.

It was a poem of courage, imagination, hope, and determination- and it was GREAT. - Brooke Giese, P'23, '27 Associate Head of School Students greet each other warmly in the fall after not seeing each other for seven months.

A student-created poster hangs in an Upper School classroom as a result of a Student-Organized Awareness Campaign.

STUDENT-ORGANIZED AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS Student-Organized Awareness Campaigns (SOACs) at Rumsey Hall are an outstanding opportunity for students to practice leadership, agency, and community engagement. SOACs are solely inspired by student interest in a cause or initiative and then fully-realized by students with the guidance of an adult mentor. Because SOACs are not related to a class curriculum, school program, or school committee, students are empowered to explore their own creativity and passions to determine where and how to help. Our students never cease to amaze us with the way they care for one another and the world around them. We are inspired by their bravery, their voice, and their tenacity.

This year, student-led initiatives supported the following people and organizations through raising awareness or funds: • Family Portrait Project • Black Lives Matter • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) at Rumsey • AAPI Awareness • Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary

• Class-Related or Student • Elementary school Council/Senior Council library remodeling Campaigns project in China • NAACP Legal Defense • Anti-Bullying Day • Digital Divide: Challenge and Educational Fund 20/20 • Lavender Rights Project • Connecticut Bail Fund www.rumseyhall.org/deij

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Traversing the Digital Divide

The Challenge 20/20 Class Takes Action to Secure iPads for a Local School

Every year at Rumsey Hall, a small group of seniors (VIIth Form) in the Challenge 20/20 class works together to find a local solution to one of the 20 global problems identified by the Global Issues Network. Through team-building activities and collaboration, the curriculum of this class focuses on defining community and the responsibilities of citizenship.

The students began their endeavor by examining various current global issues such as providing education for all, creating a massive step up against poverty, and improving our environmental impact through pollution reduction.

Then, the class decided on a project they felt would make the most impact in their current world. This year, the team of students tackled the issue of the digital divide—the disparity between individuals able to reap the benefits from the digital age and those who aren’t. When the pandemic forced students to learn from home last year, many children were unable to log in to their classes because of a lack of technology. The Challenge 20/20 class recognized this was a problem and set out to find a solution!

(front) Indie Merrill '21, Charleigh Newman '21, Avery Rubini '21, (back) Junho Lee '21, Myles Crain '21

The Challenge 20/20 class presents their idea to the faculty panel.

After carefully gathering information about how poverty affects education—in particular the ability to acquire a functioning device and reliable Wi-Fi—the Challenge 20/20 class decided to raise awareness and funds to help Community First School (CFS). CFS opened in the fall of 2020 and serves children in North Hartford’s federally designated Promise Zone neighborhoods. CFS states its mission as the following: “By partnering with community groups and implementing a whole-family care, relationship-based, and place-based program, CFS empowers children to own their greatness, and become passionate, independent learners able to compete, collaborate, and innovate in a diverse world.”

The Challenge 20/20 class chose a small local school in order to witness firsthand how children in their geographic region could be impacted. Tim Goodwin, the founder and director of Community First School, met with the Challenge 20/20 class and explained the school’s vision for growth. He also virtually toured them through the school building.

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“ The ‘digital divide’ is a global problem."

"Working to help a school in Connecticut made me expand my thinking beyond our problem. By starting small—taking baby steps here at home—we can keep going to help countries that need technology all over the globe.”

- Indie Merrill ’21

“It was satisfying to finally connect with Community First School,” stated Avery Rubini ’21. “The director brought us into one of the classes and we actually got to see our efforts and the people that the project would affect.”

Goodwin explained that the school needed iPads for students to take with them outside the classroom. The school emphasizes hands-on learning and getting out into the environments beyond the school to learn. A mobile device is a portal for discovery on field trips and anywhere the children go.

The Challenge 20/20 students collaborated with each other and with Rumsey administration and faculty to develop action plans and execute their projects to improve life in the greater community.

The students then came up with a plan to communicate to the Rumsey parents and student body about the digital divide that CFS was facing. They created announcements, graphics, and videos to raise awareness and request donations for the local cause.

All in all, the Challenge 20/20 class raised $840 to secure iPads for CFS to use inside and outside of the classroom.

Junho Lee ’21 stated. “There are more problems out there. I can contribute to other projects about what worked well and what didn’t.”

Myles Crain '21 and Junho Lee '21 sell snacks to raise money to purchase iPads for CFS.

$840

The Challenge 20/20 class raises $840 to purchase iPads for a school in Hartford.

Craig Ough P'23, Rumsey Hall Director of Social-Emotional Learning and the teacher/mentor of the Challenge 20/20 class stated, “These results are the culmination of the work these students started a long time ago. Now they can better understand the nuances of entrepreneurship and how to make deep, effective changes. They're more empowered as they go on to their next places in life. These are the lessons students can take with them wherever they go.”

The Challenge 20/20 students hope to connect with CFS in the future and possibly visit the school once pandemic restrictions are lifted. The experience taught them that using their voice can enact change, and from here, they can continue to take action wherever they go.

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The Boundless Class"Room" Students propped themselves against a helpful Rumsey tree right outside of their class building for quiet reading. They donned their rubber boots and trekked to Treasure Island to study wildlife. They mapped forest activity­—visit upon visit—to create a scientific mandala. All in all, Rumsey students spent HOURS and HOURS outside.

OUR CAMPUS: 231 Acres 2 rivers 2 Barns 4 Ponds Infinite skies At Rumsey, outdoor adventure is an important part of learning. This year, because of COVID-19 guidelines for a safe and healthy campus, it was more important than ever to get outside. Fortunately, we've been learning outside since Rumsey was founded in 1900, so we were well-prepared. Teachers explored their own creativity to bring lessons out into the great wide on a more frequent basis.

From science labs in the forest, to history lessons atop flat river rocks, to quiet reading sprawled out on the grass, classes ventured outdoors to explore the natural world and enjoy the fresh country air of our campus.

From our Kindies program all the way up through our VIIth Form, students were encouraged to tap into their wonder about the world around them.

An Upper School biology student measures how tall a tree is on campus.

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ABOUT The Shepaug River • Rambles serenely through the Rumsey Hall campus • Shepaug comes from the Mohegan word for rocky water • Extends for 26 miles across northwestern Connecticut • Runs south through Washington, CT where it finally joins the Housatonic River • A main source of fresh water for the area, providing drinking water for the city of Waterbury

www.rumseyhall.org/outdoorlearning Amidst the rambling Shepaug riverbed and the rolling landscape of the Litchfield Hills, students breathed deep the sweet air of nature about them and got to work! They dug their hands through dense soil to plant gardens, they slogged through the stones to marvel at the ecology system in our own backyard, and they noted their observations with awareness.

They learned to respect the creatures, systems, and flow of the Earth with their own eyes, ears, and hands—potent learning with their senses not offered through textbooks alone. They witnessed over and over again that the patterns, cycles, and energy of the natural world teach them about their own vitality.

Lower School students plant a pollinator garden on campus.

Lower School students recite poetry during Morning Meeting by the pond.

A Lower School student draws a nature scene by Treasure Island.

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Heroes Among Us

We Salute our Health Team for Their Steadfast Care of the Rumsey Community

Health Center staff David McDevitt, Gerri Gleason P'14, '17, '19, '22, Sage Witkoski, and Nancy Dalrymple P'25, '27.

w

e would like to express our deepest gratitude to Matthew Abel M.D., P'23, our Medical Director, for his dedication to creating and maintaining a healthy and safe Rumsey campus. Dr. Abel was a key resource for guidance and wisdom while we navigated the rocky terrain of the COVID-19 landscape. Dr. Abel is a physician at Candlewood Valley Pediatrics in New Milford and a parent of an Upper School student.

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Keeping Us Healthy and Well in So Many Ways In a year where the utmost attention to health and safety was required for operation, our Health Center staff bravely rose to the occasion. Under the fearless leadership of our new Director of the Health Center, Nancy Dalrymple P'25, '27 and Rick Butler P'20, '23, our Director of Residential Life, the crew relentlessly pursued information, resources, and guidance to determine how to create and maintain a COVID-free environment.

The team of heroes conquered every challenge tossed out by the everchanging guidelines for school operation with determination and creativity. With the foundation of their many contributions to testing processes, safe facilities, and professional development made in 2020, our Health Care team is poised to take action yet again, this year...and beyond.

The Health Center staff create a warm and safe environment for Rumsey students.

The redesigned Health Center is on the bottom level of Farmen Hall.

David McDevitt and Nancy Dalrymple P'25, '27 conduct a COVID-19 PCR test.

2020/21 35

FACULTY PROFILE This was quite a year to teach history. How did it go? There were so many events to teach from. It was a year full of teachable moments. It’s crucial to show students how lessons relate to them instead of just talking about it. It teaches them empathy and how to draw parallels from the past to the present.

How does it feel to connect the dots from ‘this event happened in the past’ to ‘this similar event is happening right now’? As an educator, that’s one of the most rewarding feelings.

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working hard. When they get knocked down, they need to get back up. We all face challenges in our lives, but it's so important to keep giving your best effort.

Did you play football in high school or college?

I did. In high school, my father was my football coach—he’s even in my high school’s hall of fame.

Then I went on to play football at Duke University. Being a student athlete was a big commitment, but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

Where did you work before Rumsey? After college, I started working at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ). I ended up working on Wall Street for 15 years.

What are you looking forward to in the future? I’m really looking forward to getting the Finance Club back up and running. I really missed it this year. We have guest speakers, such as Dan Lufkin P'12,' 20, '24, (Co-founder of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette), come in and talk with the kids.

For me, getting the chance to have a Wall Street legend like Dan come in and share his experiences and wisdom is incredible.

Coach Scheidt makes good use of Varsity Football's tackle dummy.

For the kids, the head start they get by learning from Any time you can impact him is unbelievable. Or we What else do you a student in a meaningful coach? I coach wrestling, go and watch the opening way, it’s special. Whether it of the New York Stock and this spring was the happens to all ten kids in first chance I’ve gotten to Exchange. The students class that day or just one, love the stock market coach crew—which was that feeling of, ‘Oh! I broke amazing. game—where they pick through!’ is one of the stocks and monitor them reasons teachers love their What do you hope ath- through an entire term. It’s jobs so much. been a great way to teach letes take away from kids about basic finance. their time at Rumsey?

What’s it like being a There will be days they’re Some of them are aspiring football coach for the financial wizards and it’s not going to want to Varsity Blue Dogs? I participate—they’re going fun to watch their curiosity love it. Football allows us to be sore, tired, and hot. grow. as coaches to teach our They may feel like giving students about the value of up, but they should keep

ERIC SCHEIDT P'23, '25 History Teacher

hard work and determination. Those lessons will help them put together a good blueprint for the other challenges they will face in life, in school, in sports, or in their careers.

FACULTY PROFILE

used to in the past; however, it was a good time to flip my life upside down because everything that we knew had been flipped upside down.

STEPHANIE SAGARIA Pre-Primes Teacher How did you come to teach at Rumsey Hall?

I had been teaching first grade for nine years and was working at Northville Elementary School in New Milford. A friend told me there was an opening at Rumsey. I went online and researched Rumsey and I thought, “wow, this is a great place”. I reflected on myself as a professional and where I was meant to be—which avenue would allow me to grow more—and Rumsey was it.

What is your teaching philosophy? My mantra for teaching first grade is: “let them be little”. They’re

still kids. A friend reminded me that at this age, they’ve only been solid walkers for five years of their life. It’s crazy to contemplate the expectations we put on them.

How does Rumsey’s mission match with your teaching style?

It felt like this was the place I was meant to be, since Rumsey encourages children to play. Rumsey lets kids be kids. They learn through core academics, but they also learn through one another, being outside, and handson discovery.

What was it like coming to Rumsey during the pandemic? Everything in the world and in education was changing.

The curriculum, content, and style of teaching was different from what I was

What do Rumsey’s values mean to you?

Rumsey’s values of honesty, kindness, and respect tie into the whole-child approach of teaching children to grow in character. We teach children to be kind—not just about the word kind. We truly ingrain the value into their being so we can help develop good people. I see smiles all the time because we don’t let things go by the wayside.

students jump in a river and catch crayfish—I just keep thinking about next year. How can I incorporate more of the outdoors into the science and social studies curriculum?

Why is social-emotional learning important at an early age? We’re teaching them to form into themselves so they can understand who they are as a person ...as an individual. Then they can see how to connect or not connect with other people.

We teach them what their feelings are and that it’s ok to have feelings—it's good to have feelings and it’s part of who we are.

Mrs. Sagaria and her students watch a chick hatch in their classroom.

What was the most surprising thing about working here? The space I have to allow the kids to be kids. Here, we make sure the students are safe, but also give them space to take risks. They learn to challenge themselves.

What are you looking forward to for next year? Now that I’ve had the exposure to teaching outdoors—letting the

What keeps you busy outside of teaching? I love to be with my husband and two-year-old daughter. We spend a lot of time outdoors on nature walks. We have two dogs and two cats, so animals are really important to us. I love paddle boarding, cooking, and making memories with my family.

Anytime I’m with my family is my favorite time.

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A HEAD'S UP PERFORMANCE As we look back at the past school year, a year that we can all agree was not easy Many difficult decisions needed to be made, so we turned to Brooke Giese As Interim Head of School, she was challenged to make the difficult decisions And with grace, style, and poise, she rose to the occasion, and provided a vision Of a school that stayed open, with classrooms full and playgrounds in play Our wonderful teachers teaching, our staff and nurses working each and every day Awaiting test results and wishing the best, Brooke worked hard and got little rest Zoom calls and meetings every day of the year, we all survived by doing our best So here’s to you, Brooke, a job well done during such a very difficult year You led the way for Rumsey Hall to prosper…..and conquer our fears!

- Gil Thornfeldt, Rumsey Hall Chief Financial Officer

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Hats Off to Brooke Giese for Her Remarkable Leadership We salute Brooke Giese P'23, '27 for her intrepid leadership at Rumsey Hall School amidst crisis and uncertainty. Mrs. Giese served as Interim Head of School from March 2020 to June 2021. Her steadfast wisdom, clarity in communication, and emphasis on collaboration made a lasting impact on Rumsey's institutional well-being. Mrs. Giese's ability to listen and then apply her expertise to a conflict or unexpected turn of events carried the School through a challenging year with flying colors.

We learned much about grace and strength by watching Mrs. Giese lead: we are grateful.

2020/21 39

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: CAMILA XU '22

"WINDOW", BY CAMILA XU '22 "I enjoy taking photos because that's how I express myself."

- Camila

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Windows to Faraway Places

Camila Xu's Award-Winning Piece Connects Through Creativity

Two of Camila Xu's pieces,

"Window" and "Boat", were accepted into the ASAP! Young Photographers show in December of 2020. For ten years, ASAP! has provided artists in grades 6–12 with the opportunity to participate in a large-scale professional exhibition and juried show.

"'Window' captures the beauty of the world and symbolically represents our connection to one another across time and distance."

- Brooke Giese P'23, '27

Dylan’s Wings of Change is a foundation dedicated to the memory of Dylan Hockley, who lost his life at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. The organization seeks to inspire empathy, courage, and hope.

Camila received her honor with an explanation of why she captured and submitted "Window": "This year, the piece that I submitted is called 'Window'. It is closely related to the topic of quarantine because I feel like during quarantine, most of us looked through the windows to see each other because we couldn't really go outside. What I tried to express through this picture, is that even though it might just be a plain window in front of you, there might always be something

beautiful behind the window.

I try to encourage people to be optimistic and stay positive through this image."

"This is an accomplishment to applaud," stated Cassie Rydingsword P'20, '23, Upper School Art Teacher. "Camila's creativity flows from her without effort and she applies sensitivity

"Camila is never afraid to challenge herself."

- Cassie Rydingsword P'20, '23 and originality to every project.

Although she is aware of her natural ability in the visual arts, I know this is only the beginning of even more great things to come for Camila!"

Dylan's Wings

At the ASAP! Young Photographers awards celebration on December 6, 2020, Camila also received an Honorable Mention for the Dylan's Wings

Foundation distinction.

Boat, by Camila Xu '22

Camila Xu '22 accepts the Dylan's Wings honor.

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UPPER SCHOOL ART

SCHOLASTIC ART AWARD WINNERS Honorable Mention: Henry Cho '22 ESSAY: America’s Failing Financial Aid System: Enlightenment For Dummies Cecilia Li '21 NOVEL: Abandoned Weaver Honorable Mention: Evelyn Kim '22 DRAWING:"Symbols Of Justice"

Camila Xu '22 PHOTOGRAPH: "Window" (p.40)

Gold Key: Jami Huang '22 PHOTOGRAPH:"Wind"

Honorable Mention Hisano Enomoto '22 PRINTMAKING

Honorable Mention Grayson Gordon '22 PAINTING: "Italian Restaurant"

Silver Key: Jami Huang '22 PHOTOGRAPH:"Tacit"

Silver Key Evelyn Kim '22 DRAWING: "The Vivid Night Of New York"

Honorable Mention Henry Cho '22 PAINTING

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Silver Key Camila Xu '22 PHOTOGRAPH: "Girl On The Hammock"

Gold Key Camila Xu '22 PHOTOGRAPH: "Woman Behind The Glass"

LOWER SCHOOL ART UNDER THE SURFACE

We look each other in the eyes and wonder “can they tell I’m smiling?” and “do they know who I am under this mask?”

We see a tree: below-ground roots nourish the above-ground branches.

Similarly, we've gotten used to seeing one another with masks hiding parts of our face; yet, we know the depths of who we are go much deeper than what we see. In the "Behind the Mask" art series, Lower School students explored their core identities below their appearance. Growing firmly in the richness of their being, they pondered and then translated into art just how remarkable they are ...under the surface.

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ALUMNI PROFILE DOCEY BALDWIN LEWIS '63

Weaving a Legacy of Interconnection, Education, and Sustainability

Artisan Docey Baldwin Lewis '63 has been crafting transcendent woven works of art—conceptualized from her creative soul, then brilliantly manifested through native collaboration—since the 1970s. Presently, Docey creates textile structures and wall coverings that can be found worldwide in businesses, homes, hotels, and even the White House.

Docey's exhibit, THREADING MY WAY, at the University of Southern Indiana’s New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art in 2019.

Docey and her son Owen operate Design Bank 505, a studio located in New Harmony, Indiana. Docey is the chief design consultant for 3form, Inc’s Full Circle product line and serves on numerous committees, boards, and foundations that champion artisans, promote education, and advance sustainable initiatives.

Throughout her encompassing and notable career, Docey has worked in 45 countries. In her travels to 75 countries, she created a trove of meaningful relationships with a diverse group of people. Using her contacts from far and wide, she interlaces her global relationships into her textile business to source natural fibers and develop community bonds. Docey’s unique experience as an entrepreneur, 44 Rarebits

coupled with her design skills and passion for education, provides artisans with an outlet to co-create and generate a viable livelihood. From the Himalayas to Mexico to Senegal, Docey’s patchwork of industrious altruism can be seen throughout restored monasteries, bed and A wall-hanging featured in Docey's breakfasts, schools for THREADING MY WAY exhibit. previously-trafficked children, and weaving workshops for at-risk students (to name a few).

Teaching people to understand where their textiles, yarn, and art supplies come from has been an anchoring thread woven into Docey’s life tapestry.

Once people are educated to support product lines that maintain eco friendly manufacturing, then they can contribute to a healthier Earth. “We are caretakers on this planet,” Docey explained. “Knowledge brings quality to life: quality of relationships ...quality of a day ...quality of a life.” Living out her passion for a greener Earth, Docey founded Handmade Water in Nepal to clean up dye effluent created by village dyers.

Recalling her time at Rumsey, Docey fondly remembers her woodworking and geography class with Mr. Pavek.

“I still have my Rumsey Hall geography book,” stated Docey. “I’ll always remember going to the national parks with Mr. Pavek’s summer program.” Learning the value of art and how the natural world works at Rumsey was an influential launchpad in her life trajectory as an artist and conservation activist.

Docey reflected on her gratitude for the art program at Rumsey, noting how singing in chorus and the Glee Club enriched her days at Rumsey and rippled out to the passions and talents of her children, who have sung professionally in choruses and operettas. “A life at Rumsey Hall is a full life that is balanced,” Docey remarked.

For more information on Docey’s artistry, community engagement initiatives, and philanthropic programs, visit designbank505.com.

ALUMNI PROFILE

RAY SANCHEZ '93

Moving Forward ...Always Ray Sanchez '93 is a fighter and a renaissance man.

His sustained efforts to enact change—to really help those in need—meld his upbringing in the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) into his vast academic experiences and achievements.

Ray’s endeavors exhibit an undeniable pursuit of equity, truth, and justice. His professional history is a roadmap of important and diverse roads traveled with grit and excellence. It’s clear that this alumnus continues to hold fast to Rumsey core values—initiating bold actions rooted in honesty, kindness, and respect—over and over again.

Ray has impacted the lives of countless individuals through: whistle-blowing/litigating as an attorney; undertaking demanding roles in the financial industry; serving on numerous nonprofit boards; fundraising tenaciously for inner-city children; courageously running for New York City Council; and fiercely intervening on behalf of the homeless.

With Rumsey’s school motto in mind, one can surmise that Ray is on a full-steam-ahead trajectory. Ray stated “I still talk about Rumsey’s motto: ‘the person not advancing falls behind’. I remember the first time I ever saw it written in Hull House dorm. I thought…’what does it mean? …what does it mean to ME?’” Presently, Ray is ‘moving forward’ as the CEO of Aguila, a nonprofit that serves the homeless population of New York City.

“I’m here to drive accountability and transparency,” Ray explained. “The sector of homeless services is mismanaged—it’s ripe with corruption and abuses. Taking 45 Rarebits

over Aguila has been incredibly challenging, but I am truly confident that when this chapter is done, the Bronx and the City will be better off.”

Ray noted that during the pandemic, homelessness has been suppressed; that said, as COVID laws are lifted, there will be a surge of people without homes.

His goal is to be ready to help these newly-displaced individuals with dignity. He plans to use his breadth of experience, multitude of differing connections, and unique academic foundation to expose dishonesty and create a no-nonsense atmosphere in the homeless sector—one that is built solidly on integrity.

Ray’s extraordinary academic journey laid the groundwork for his public-servant mindset. At the age of 11, his life course took a sharp turn. He made a giant leap from the New York City school system into the dorms and classrooms of Rumsey Hall, an opportunity made possible by the Boys Club of New York. He expressed his gratitude for the chance to thrive in a nurturing, yet rigorous, academic setting.

“The opportunity to go to Rumsey put me on a completely different trajectory. I’m aware of things—of ways of being—that I never would have known otherwise.”

One influential Rumsey icon Ray remembered fondly is legendary Headmaster Tom Farmen. Nostalgically, he recalled Mr. Farmen’s nickname for him, stating: “Mr. Farmen used to call me Mr. President. One day he asked me what I want to be when I grow up, and without thinking, I blurted out, ‘PRESIDENT!’ ...the rest was history.” Ray attributes his decision to run for New York City Council to his childhood dream of serving as a government official. He views his recent campaign as a growth opportunity and is open to political positions that may arise in the future.

After decades spent in the multifaceted roles of law, government, and finance, Ray explained that the thread through each role has been his ability to communicate with clarity. “I learned communication skills at a very young age at Rumsey. The writing and English courses were strong and I was forced to always think about my diction since I was balancing a coexistence in two very different worlds."

Ray expressed his gratitude for his academic and community-life experience at Rumsey, stating, “I’m grateful for Rumsey, not only because of the academics, but also for the emotional and mental growth I experienced there.”

Ray noted that talent is everywhere; however, due to lack of resources, the disparity of opportunity to excel academically caps the chance for inner-city children to succeed. Ray plans to continue to advocate and raise funds for more children to have the chance to attend institutions like Rumsey.

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ALUMNI PROFILE EMERSON FRISBIE '99 Living a Life of Creativity and Service Anew

When Chef Emerson Frisbie '99 isn’t busy being voted into the top three of finalists for Favorite Chef, the online competition for chefs around the globe, he can be found creating mouth-watering cuisine from Palm Beach to Miami. For the last five years, Emerson has been grinding away at his craft, eloquently working his way into the culture and food scene in Southern Florida.

From resident chef for pole barn collaborative dinners at Swank Specialty Produce in Loxahatchee, Florida to executive chef and brand ambassador for Palm Beach Meats, a specialty provisions company born out of the pandemic which specializes in selling Japanese and Australian Wagyu, Emerson isn’t afraid to step boldly into the food industry to make his mark. While his career in the food industry is impressive, this chef is about so much more than masterful cooking or climbing a professional ladder.

Emerson is on a humanitarian mission sparked from his own redemptive experience. He has an innate desire to pay goodness forward to others.

After battling the effects of substance use for several years, Emerson worked hard to enter into the realm of long-term recovery. “Addiction doesn't discriminate,” he stated. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from.”

At the age of 31, he knew if he didn’t get sober, the outcome would be dire. He put all of his efforts 46 Rarebits

into securing vitality—his best life anew—through a 12-step program. Upon completing the program, Emerson began work on a food truck in Florida. “I started my entire life over ...I Ieft everything behind,” he explained. “I was faced with true humility.”

In this unassuming role, Emerson gained invaluable experience prepping simple food items. It was there that he learned that the food industry could help recovering addicts thrive in a career path. His goal is to start a nonprofit that teaches cooking skills to people in recovery. “Cooking is something that people need no matter where you go. It’s a skill you take with you,” he stated. “Ultimately, recovery is about having the opportunity to give back what was freely given to you. If we can create a nonprofit that offers addicts in early recovery the opportunity to learn just the basics of cooking, then they can obtain a state food handlers license.”

Presently, Emerson is sponsoring five people in their own recovery journey. His gratitude for his years at Rumsey has a direct impact on his bigheartedness for others. “I want to help other people ...that’s a quality I learned from being in a small community at Rumsey,” he said. “There were so many different personalities in a small space. I experienced the value of resolving conflict rather than creating it. From Rumsey’s values and the close relationships I made there, I learned to treat people with kindness and respect.”

A few of Chef Frisbie's inspiring creations.

Through his creativity in the kitchen and his everyday efforts to pour into the lives of recovering addicts, Emerson is forging a remarkable path to be the best person he can be. “One of the things that was evident at Rumsey was that the entire community was trying to create a place that encouraged young men and women to become the best person they're able to be,” he recalls. “The further in time I get away from the school, the more I’m aware of how special it is.”

For photos of Chef Frisbie’s delectable creations and poetic reveries about his journey, visit his Instagram account: @emersonfrisbie.

ALUMNI PROFILE

over the world, societies have learned to interpret and utilize local flora to benefit the human body, mind, and soul in remarkable ways. Arvolyn took her training as an herbalist, her passion for ethnobotany, and her heart for teaching children to her own community in Harlem, NY. “I want to embolden people to understand the benefits of land.” Arvolyn explained. “When it comes to black people in the United States, there’s a disparity of landowners…a staggeringly low percentage of black people own land in this country.

I want to break stereotypes, change the rhetoric, and create bonds for black, indigenous, and people of color back to this earth.”

ARVOLYN HILL '04

The Beauty, Power, and Sacred Practice of Herbalism In her work as an educator and in her locally-foraged herbal remedies, Arvolyn Hill ’04 reveals the power of the human relationship to plants. “Everything I do involves plants,” Arvolyn said. “Understanding what they have to say is like learning a new language.”

Arvolyn graduated from Drew University with a degree in Pan-African Studies and began a career in journalism. She soon discovered she was keenly interested in stories centered on herbs, farms, and agriculture. She pursued her plant intrigue by attending programs at Twin Star Connecticut School of Herbalism and Wild Ginger Herbal Center in Costa Rica.

Arvolyn’s deep-dive into plants taught her that herbs and flower essences can help people in their search for emotional equanimity. Using plants grown in a community garden in Harlem, NY and her childhood home in Kent, CT, Arvolyn crafts tinctures, teas, and serums for health and wellbeing in small batches.

“I want to help people to think about plants on a different plane—from a connected standpoint,” Arvolyn stated.

The study and application of ethnobotany is a driving influence for Arvolyn. She explained that many different cultures from localized regions create medicinal remedies based on traditional knowledge of plants handed down generation to generation. All

Arvolyn's Fire Cider tincture. Arvolyn gathers nettles, wild violets and fiddleheads from her garden.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Arvolyn created educational videos for the New York Botanical Garden to encourage families to explore plants at home or in their neighborhood. For instance, one of her how-to videos focused on crafting a regrow garden at home using a sunny window sill.

“You can care for and heal your body using plants already growing around you. Being in New York City, sometimes it’s a little harder to find them, but if you know what they look like and where they grow, you’ll find them. You just have to keep your eyes open!”

Arvolyn remembers her years at Rumsey as being very special. “At Rumsey, I was a young naturalist,” she reflected. “From third to ninth grade, I was always around plants, salamanders, turtles. I connected with the land and got in touch with the seasons. Rumsey is really a great school and a special place. ” Arvolyn plans to continue to educate children and adults through nature-centered learning experiences at the New York Botanical Garden. She proudly gives back 10% of proceeds from herbal remedies sold at goldfeathershop.com to places that support black, indigenous, and people of color.

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2021

COMMENCEMENT

48 Rarebits Rarebits 48

Dear Seniors,

"Class of 2021, this has been a year of intense learning for all of us, and for many years to come we will continue to process this experience and the lessons learned from it. Perhaps of all the things you learned this year, the most important lesson of all lies in developing the ability to cope in the face of adversity. Part of growing up is developing the wisdom in knowing that it is going to be ok; you are going to be ok. Even when times get tough—you have the strength to manage and you have a broad base of support. Your parents, your teachers, and your friends are much more than that; they are your mentors and advisors. They are the people you can look to and learn from: learn from their wisdom, learn from their mistakes, and learn from their experiences.

FIVE LESSONS TO CARRY YOU FORWARD:

1

Whatever friends HOLD FAST TO YOUR DREAMS, PERSEVERE THROUGH and mentors you STRUGGLE AND DISAPPOINTMENT. have found in your time at Rumsey, hang on to them, keep them NEVER LOSE YOUR SENSE OF close. Know that they are HUMOR. here for you now and in the KNOW WHO YOUR TRUE FRIENDS ARE future—they will be with you AND KEEP THEM CLOSE. IN FRIENDSHIP forever. You have the skills you VALUE QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. need to cope and the broadest base of support. You are going to be much more than ok; you are an BELIEVE IN LUCK. YOU SIMPLY NEVER inspiration. We are enormously proud KNOW. of you, Seniors. Congratulations and best wishes."

DON’T KEEP JOY OR LOVE

2 3 4 5

- Brooke Giese, Associate Head of School P '23, '27

LOCKED AWAY FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION. EVERY DAY IS A SPECIAL OCCASION TO LOVE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

2020/21 49 2019/20 49

Dear Classmates,

Jack Nettleton '21 gives a Commencement speech.

"We all have one thing in common: being a member of the Rumsey family. When I think of Rumsey, I think of family. Rumsey has nourished us and has helped us grow. Rumsey has taught us the importance of effort, and Rumsey has imparted on us the skills and values we will need in the future. Every member of the Rumsey community is kind, welcoming, and makes you feel at home. To many of us, Rumsey feels like our home away from home and I cannot think of any other place that makes me feel this way. Even through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rumsey has maintained a feeling of comfort and home that has taught us a sense of safety and security that supported us in persevering—and now we are here— at the finish line. Everybody has worked so hard through the unfortunate circumstances of the pandemic to allow us to stay on Rumsey Hall's beautiful campus.

"This year, we spent the fall and winter terms worrying about essays, interviews, and grades, and were completely oblivious to our time here rushing by us. Some things we wished time would pass even quicker on, so that we could get on to the next thing: an exciting new school, the end of the pandemic, or a return to normal life with our friends.

We thought more about how we would spend the next few years at our new schools, than how we would spend the next few days here. We thought that when people would tell us to ‘enjoy every moment because your time here will fly by’, they actually expected us to gaze out at the falling sunlight reflecting off the lower pond as we meandered back from sports. But, of course, that’s not what they really meant. They weren’t telling us to ‘enjoy every moment’ because you can’t enjoy a failing grade on a test, or seeing your friends have left for recess without you, or, speaking from personal experience, walking into morning meeting ten minutes late and having to see the exasperated disappointment, yet slight amusement, in Mr. Ketchum’s face and then listen to the laughter at the joke cracked by him at your expense as you walk to your seat.

What they were really telling us was to remember every moment, even the bad ones, because you’ll look back at your time here, and the bad moments will have become lessons to reflect on, and the good moments will have become all the better. On behalf of the class of 2021, I would like to thank our teachers, advisors, parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, coaches, teammates, and peers for making this unprecedented year unforgettable."

- Elizabeth "Bunny" Borzilleri '21

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, 'What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.' And for us, the graduating class of 2021, Rumsey is what lies within us. Rumsey is a treasure of the world which is unknown to many, but will forever be known and loved by ourselves. It is a quiet strength we carry with us as we keep moving forward.

Always remember your memories, friendships, and the magic of the Rumsey family. " - Jack Nettleton '21 50 Rarebits

Elizabeth "Bunny" Borzilleri '21 gives a Commencement speech.

COMMENCEMENT AWARDS 2021 The Edward B. Whitney Prize for Excellence in Declamation Myles Patrick Crain '21 The Prize for the Greatest Improvement in Scholarship Sophie J. Tibbatts '21 The Richard M. Wachcic Junior Athletic Award Levi Cherosnick '24 Teddy Kowalchick '24

The Charlotte Underwood Library Award Melissa Michelle Maselli '23 The Prizes for the Best All-Around Male and Female Athletes

Taylor Manchanda '21 Ray Kawaji '21

The Prize for The Boarding Scholar Having the Best Conduct Record Peter Seymour Murphy '21

The Cody Montana ’08 Memorial Paddle Out Award Mariana Rojas Aguilar '21 The Prizes for Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Charleigh Newman '21 Charles Nathan Molner '21

The David Loyd Memorial Prize Jinru Li '21

The Marjorie Hull Barr Prize Victoria Grace Klemm '25

The Lawrence Larkin ’16 Computer Achievement Award Junting Wang '21

The J. Mitchell Magnoli ’77 Memorial Award Caroline Fair Traina '22 The Scott Evans Seibert ’92 Memorial Scholarship Chelsea Caroline Altamirano '22

The Faculty Cup Sophie J. Tibbatts '21

The Memorial Award Mary-Elizabeth Brewster Borzilleri '21

The Duff Community Service Cup Jinru Li' 21 The Alfred L. Hart II ’65 Fine Arts Prize Jayden Choi '21

The Ryan J. Whelan ’89 Memorial Scholarship Prize Charlie Eugene Cosgriff, III '22 The Award for Excellence Yuxi “Sissi” Zhen '21 The John F. Schereschewsky, Jr. ’47 Memorial Award Austin Tucker '22 The Gabriella Bass ’94 Art Award Yuxi “Sissi” Zhen '21 The Rose Algrant Memorial Scholarship Award Shawn Clarke '23 The Henry B. Van Sinderen Memorial Award Jami Huang '22 Prize for Perseverance and Worthy Endeavor Mason A. Jarvis '21

Award for Leadership Peter West Villano '21

Award for Merit Gexuan Liu '21

Headmaster's Cup:

Zimo Liu

2020/21 51

The seniors that attended the on-campus 121st Commencement Ceremony are pictured here.

We dearly missed our distance-learner seniors that attended the ceremony via livestream and wish them the very best!

The Rumsey Hall Class of 2021 Henry Daniel Blanchard

Hyoungjin (Jayden) Jin

Jack Morgan Norris

Mary-Elizabeth Brewster Borzilleri

Ray Kawaji

Grant Henry Owen

Charles Wright Cashel

Nicholas Evan Kocienda

Pattaranunt Poonsornsiri

Caitlyn Lily Kumst

Oliver Carson Ramee

Jinru Li*

Mariana Rojas Aguilar

Jayden Choi*

Bryan J.W. Chung* Christopher Xavier Clancy Myles Patrick Crain

Junho Lee* Richard Li*

Owen McGann Reilly Avery Rubini

Nicole Liao*

Jia Mian Dai

Gexuan Liu*

Sophie J. Tibbatts

Jae Won Do

Zimo Liu

Peter West Villano

Kevin Mekhi Flowers

Taylor Manchanda

Junting Wang

Ethan Golden

Rory Fitzpatrick McNamara

Yejia Zhao

Nikolai Curwin-Amfitheatrof

Ana Sofia Gonzalez Teran

Indie Rose Merrill

Luke Thomas Hennessy

Peter Seymour Murphy

Soji Ihashi

Jack Thomas Nettleton

Mason A. Jarvis

Charleigh Newman*

Yutaka Tokugawa

Yuxi “Sissi” Zhen*

Permanent Class President: Charles Nathan Molner * With Honors

52 Rarebits

Blue Dogs go on to excellent secondary schools.

••••

WHERE THE CLASS OF 2021 WAS ACCEPTED AND WHERE THEY ENROLLED:

Acceptances Athol College of Notre Dame, Canada Avon Old Farms, CT Bede’s Senior School, UK Berkshire School, MA Blair Academy, NJ Brewster Academy, NH Brooks School, MA Canterbury School, CT Choate Rosemary Hall, CT Church Farm School, PA Cushing Academy, MA Episcopal High School, VA The Frederick Gunn School, CT Gould Academy, ME Governor’s Academy, MA Groton School, MA The Hill School, PA Holy Cross High School, CT Kent School, CT Kimball Union Academy, NH Loomis Chaffee School, CT Millbrook School, NY New Hampton School, NH Northfield Mount Hermon School, MA Peddie School, NJ Portsmouth Abbey, RI Pomfret School, CT Putney School, VT Saint James School, MD Salisbury School, CT St. Mark’s School, MA St. Paul’s School, NH Suffield Academy. CT The Taft School, CT Trinity - Pawling School, NY Vermont Academy, VT Westminster School, CT Westtown School, PA Williston Northampton, MA Winchendon School, MA WLSA Shanghai Academy, China Woodberry Forest School, VA

Matriculations Athol College of Notre Dame, Canada Avon Old Farms, CT Bede’s Senior School, UK Blair Academy, NJ Brooks School, MA Canterbury School, CT Choate Rosemary Hall, CT Church Farm School, PA The Frederick Gunn School, CT Governor’s Academy, MA Groton School, MA The Hill School, PA Holy Cross High School, CT Loomis Chaffee School, CT Millbrook School, NY New Hampton School, NH Northfield Mount Hermon School, MA Peddie School, NJ Portsmouth Abbey, RI Saint James School, MD Salisbury School, CT St. Paul’s School, NH Suffield Academy, CT The Taft School, CT Westminster School, CT Westtown School, PA WLSA Shanghai Academy, China Woodberry Forest School, VA

WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING: "The past year was so special and challenging.

Although our daughter was in distancelearning, our family still felt closely connected with Rumsey. Especially for her secondary school application, with your team's great effort, everything went smoothly and in order.

Every communication from your office clearly introduced the issues to finish. Your guidance on the application timeline and action provided our family strong support and really calmed our anxiety."

-JASMINE ZHAO P'21

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The Papers GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT RUMSEY ...AND, THE PRESS IS TAKING NOTICE The New York Times: The Boarding-School Boom This article, featured in The New York Times, focuses on the benefits of a boarding school education. During the pandemic, boarding schools—including Rumsey Hall— have seen an increase in inquiries and enrollments. Ben Tuff, Rumsey's Director of Admission, was interviewed and featured in the article.

READ THE ARTICLE AT RUMSEYHALL.ORG/NYTIMES

The Hartford Courant: New Yorkers have flocked to Litchfield County during the pandemic The Hartford Courant published an article that focused on the steady incline of New Yorkers that decided to settle in the Litchfield hills during the pandemic. Ben Tuff weighs in on Rumsey Hall's surge in enrollment of day students because of the uptick in transplants to the area.

READ THE ARTICLE AT RUMSEYHALL.ORG/HARTFORDCOURANT

Waterbury Republican American: Small students supporting a big cause

The Kindies organized a march to proclaim their pledge to protect the Earth. Their efforts were seen and applauded by The Republican American, Waterbury's daily newspaper. Our Kindergarten teacher, Amanda McGrew, explains how Rumsey students are boldly changing the world!

READ THE ARTICLE AT RUMSEYHALL.ORG/WATERBURYPAPER

Litchfield Magazine: Voted Favorite K–9 School!

READ THE ARTICLE AT RUMSEYHALL.ORG/ LITCHFIELDMAGAZINE 54 Rarebits

"We've seen an exponential increase in enrollment at Rumsey.

We're not surprised, given our record of excellence and our dedicated faculty."

- Ben Tuff P'22, '24 ,Director of Admission Learn more about our admission process at rumseyhall.org/admission.

www.rumseyhall.org/kindies

MEET BEN PASTOR P'27, '29 Rumsey Hall's Director of Advancement Ben Pastor P'27, '29, a veteran independent school advancement officer, recently joined the Rumsey team as the Director of Advancement. Previously, Ben led the advancement programs at Branson School in California and The Community School of Naples in Florida.

Ben began his advancement career at The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, from where he is also an alumnus. As the Assistant Director of Development, Ben served on the major gifts team and he and his wife, Ledlie Mosch ’92, ran multiple dorms on campus.

“I am so thrilled to be joining the Rumsey Hall community. My family has a long history with Rumsey: my father-in-law, Woody Mosch, was in the class of 1962; my wife, Ledlie, was in the class of 1992; my brother-in-law, Carter, was in the class of 1997; and my nephew, Jack, is a rising Pre-Prime. My daughters will be attending Rumsey in the Primes and IInd Form classes.

The school—through its incredible faculty and staff—has been transformative for my family. I could not be more excited to be a part of the team to make this possible for future generations of Rumsey students. I look forward to meeting current families and alumni on campus this fall.”

Rumsey Trivia: Where did Blue Dogs originate from?

Did you know, that up until 2000, we were known as the Red Raiders? When it came time to reevaluate our mascot at the turn of the century, we realized a dog has always been a part of our crest...and the legendary Blue Dogs came into being.

"I'd love to hear from you!

Please email or call me so we can talk all things Rumsey!"

- Ben Ben Pastor P'27, '29 Director of Advancement bpastor@rumseyhall.org 860-868-0535 x187

Director of Advancement Benjamin Pastor and Ledlie Mosch '92 Pastor with their daughters, Lily '27 and Addie '29.

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CLASS

notes 56 Rarebits

CLASS OF 1958

From Steven Foote: “My wife, Josie, and I have just moved to North Hill, a retirement community in Needham, MA. This coincides with my retirement as a working architect and allows me increased time as a painter. Can’t wait to resume [our] travel to Europe!”

Richard Morgan is a renowned wildlife carver with a studio in Warren, CT, about five miles away from Rumsey’s campus.

Richard creates one-of-a-kind decorative shore bird decoys that are patterned after authentic Early American hunting decoys. Each decoy is faithfully reproduced and finished by hand – no two are exactly alike. Be sure to check out Richard’s work at thepaintedbird.net. Richard's grandson Jack Norris '21 graduated from Rumsey this spring.

From Freddy Sopher: “Everything is fine with Joyce and I and also our two adorable twin boys, Samuel and Raphael, who will be nine years old on October 19. We look forward to having the pleasure of visiting RHS sometime in the near future so as to remember my Alma mater. Fred Sopher (your true dear son of RHS and loyal, faithful, devoted alumni of the class of 1954)”

CLASS OF 1955

CLASS OF 1963 From Docey Baldwin Lewis: “From my textile studio in historic Indiana, I continue to design hand-woven wallcoverings in a business run with my son. COVID-19 has been hard on our artisan partner producers in Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines, but we are hopeful that by 2022, we will be back on track.”

From Alex Gundry: “We will be expecting our tenth greatgrandchild in February. Ann and I are doing well for 78 and 80.”

CLASS OF 1968 CLASS OF 1956 From Henri M. David, Jr.: “I will try to summarize the last ten years. In the spring of 2009, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from my undergrad college, Nichols College. From 2010-2013, I continued [working as] an Adjunct Professor at a wonderful, small college here in New London, CT. At Mitchell College, I was asked to bring to the Business School an investment class, primarily for seniors. As other faculty retired, more of the business courses fell in my lap to teach, so each summer was a bit of a study hall here to prepare for a new subject. Of the 13 core courses in the business program, I taught nine of them.

By mid-summer 2013, my lovely wife Liz was diagnosed with a terrible cancer and died that September. I finished the semester but needed to regroup as I had lost my fast ball, and to stay on for my ego would hurt the wonderful students and the College in general.

So, beginning 2014 to present has been the life of a country bumpkin with a motorcycle, four classic cars, and a Yellow Lab, ‘Lily’. A mutual friend introduced me to a lovely lady, Liz Baird, and we have been to Cuba, Nova Scotia, CA, CO, and Prince Edward Island, to name a few. At my age, keeping the female names the same is certainly helpful!

I am blessed with wonderful children and their families – Kim in Virginia Beach, VA and son Miles '91 in Centennial, CO. My best wishes to all classmates. May you be safe, healthy, and happy.”

Kelly Nye reports he’s "heading down Mexico way for P.I.T.S. in early January”. He also wrote that he’s “very sorry to hear about no get-together for a reunion at Rumsey again this year”. He’s also sad to miss his 50th Reunion at The Gunnery.

He sends his “highest to all”!

CLASS OF 1969 From Scott McClelland: “Don Stroud '69 and I visited campus this past reunion [in 2019], and we were blown away by the transformation. No more ankle boards on the rink or housepainted blue lines.”

CLASS OF 1970 From Ted Sarant: “Despite the COVID-19 situation, my remodeling and redecorating business continues to thrive. I have no plans to retire in the real sense. As long as I can do the work, I plan to keep going on… I started this business in August of 1972, when I was still a student, and [it] continues to serve the public very well.”

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class notes

CLASS OF 1954

class notes

CLASS OF 1972

CLASS OF 1981

Scott McCarty '72, P'98, '02 was honored at Forman School for 40 years of service. Scott has been a member of the Forman community since 1971, beginning with his five years as a student.

Currently, Scott serves as Forman's Athletic Director. Scott writes “changing lives of so many students has been amazing. I am blessed and very fortunate.”

Clark T. Weber (third from the left) has been an international advocate for mental health issues since 2016. In August of that year, Clark was named International Crisis Intervention Team Mental Health Consumer of the Year at the International Crisis Intervention Team Convention in Chicago.

In receiving this distinction, Clark was honored for his dedication as a role play actor for the Chicago Police Department's Crisis Intervention Team since 2004. The Chicago Police Department was the first police department in the world to use individuals like Clark, who are living with a mental illness, in training exercises, and it remains one of only two police departments to operate in this capacity.

Since 2004, Clark has helped train more than 10,000 police officers, including members of the University of Chicago Police Department, Evanston Police Department, Northwestern University Police Department, Metra Transit Police Officers, as well as local FBI agents.

Clark is currently working on a book entitled Found Purpose that is part autobiographical and part instructional guide on how to utilize individuals living with a mental illness as role play actors for police departments around the world.

CLASS OF 1975 From Mark Zeisler: “[I have] had the privilege of working on four television sets during the pandemic: "For Life" (ABC), "FBI: Most Wanted" (CBS), "Bull" (CBS) and "The First Lady" (Showtime). Feeling very lucky to be working at a time when the industry has been hurting. Upcoming is "The Cathedral", an independent feature.”

CLASS OF 1976 From William Leroy: “I signed a 20-episode deal with Discovery Channel USA and Discovery International. The show is called ‘Billy Buys Brooklyn’. It is my second reality TV show. I guess the Rumsey Drama class with Rebecca Miller '77 had a good effect. It was called ‘The Group’...

‘Billy Buys Brooklyn’ will premiere on Discovery Channel and Discovery+ in June 2021.”

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CLASS OF 1996

Christian Frahm sent in this picture of him and Sasha Zukov '83 taken back in March on the slopes of the Loveland Ski Area in Colorado.

From Arthur Huntington: “My family and I have recently purchased a home in Historic Old Louisville. My daughter is one year old and I am Head Chef at a restaurant called Ciao Ristorante.”

CLASS OF 1999 Austin Farmer married Phedpailin Suttayawanit (Mink) last year. The couple had a formal celebration on June 19, 2021.

CLASS OF 2001 Hozefa Haveliwala, pseud. Harvey Havel, has just published his 18th book, The Odd and The Strange, A Collection of Very Short Fiction. Hozefa currently lives in Albany, New York, and remembers the fun times he had at Rumsey with his classmates well.

CLASS OF 1987 The Advancement Office received a note from Ward's father: “Our son, Ward Glenford Bigelow…is enjoying his career as a professional pilot.”

CLASS OF 1990 From Christopher Jones: “Love living life in the 405!

Attached photo is my son who turned 14 years old on March 17th! He can't wait to get to high-school this fall! Had a great Zoom with old Rumsey '90 classmates who I still consider great friends, and now we have a fun Facebook group if anyone wants in! Enjoyed my three amazing years at RHS! Blessed be to all and take care of yourselves!”

Benjamin Levy welcomed son Judah Michael Levy in December 2020.

CLASS OF 2002 From Elizabeth Blank: “I'm in-house counsel for a hospitality company in Rhode Island and I live in Newport with my husband. If you are in Newport, please feel free to reach out!”

Emily Patnaude Murphy and her husband Tom F. Murphy III welcomed twin sons Francis Theodore Murphy and Thomas Frederick Murphy IV on February 8, 2021.

Greg Snow visited campus in early summer and was the first alumnus to meet our new Head of School, Ian Craig, on Rumsey's campus.

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class notes

CLASS OF 1985

class notes

CLASS OF 2003

CLASS OF 2005

Austin Farmer ‘99 tells us that Adam King married Christie Colley in Jupiter Island, Florida in April 2021.

Former Rumsey Alumni Coordinator Jordan Leventhal married Julie Steinbauer on September 12, 2020 in a ceremony surrounded by their parents and sisters while family and friends joined virtually from around the world.

A Marketing Project Manager at Universal Orlando Resort, Jordan runs the production of marketing campaigns for a variety of resort projects. He encourages you to reach out if you're ever in the Orlando, FL area!

From David Martin: “I graduated with my masters degree in exercise science from Southern Connecticut State University.

I was awarded the Southern Strong award when I ran four miles every four hours for 48 hours to raise money for a local food pantry during the pandemic. I was accepted and just finished my first year of my PhD at the University of Connecticut where I am the associate director of research at the Korey Stringer Institute (KSI). KSI's mission is to provide research, education, advocacy and consultation to maximize performance, optimize safety and prevent sudden death for the athlete, warfighter and laborer. I am still competing in triathlons and will compete on behalf of Team USA as an elite amateur at the World Championships in Edmonton, Canada in August. I also just started my own amateur race team called "Team Stella and Chewy's" that has 46 athletes. We are sponsored by nine different companies and we kick off our first race season this year! Rumsey is really where my passion for athletics started and I'm truly grateful for every opportunity I had there. Miss you all!”

Genevieve Zasada Anonsen graduated F-16 training and now flies for the DC ANG. In the second photo below, Genevieve does a break turn over Andrews AFB on March 1, 2021.

CLASS OF 2004 Bobby Ensign, III is living and working in the LA/Santa Barbara, CA area. He has been working on elections since 2016, including campaigns for Congress in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, and Rhode Island. He and his significant other, Brea, are expecting their first baby in the summer of 2021! They also have a black lab/weimaraner mix dog named Bailey… Bobby is also working on a Master’s Degree in Screenwriting at Pepperdine University.

Alyson Hill Cipollone and her husband Peter welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Grace Isabella, in February 2021.

CLASS OF 2006 Ji Hye Park received her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology in 2017 from Teachers College at Columbia University and worked at an eating disorders organization in New York City under OPT (extended student visa). She moved to Chicago in 2018 to work at a wholesale/retail corporation doing HR and accounting work, through which she obtained her permanent residency.

About a year ago, Ji Hye decided to change career tracks and attended Fullstack Academy, a renowned coding boot camp in Chicago. She graduated from their software engineering immersive program this spring and accepted their internship as a Teaching Fellow. In late July 2020, Ji Hye successfully completed the fellowship and, after two months on the job search, she was hired by a software development agency based in Chicago.

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CLASS OF 2014

Timothy Ensign is a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force.

He’s a cryptologic linguist fluent in Mandarin and stationed in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. He only has one more class to go to complete his Bachelor's Degree. As of March 2021, his new assignment will place him in San Antonio, TX.

William Ensign is a senior at Salve Regina University majoring in business/marketing. He also plays on the varsity lacrosse team (as COVID allows!) and has been enjoying his time in Rhode Island.

Ashley Hill got engaged and will be married in September 2022.

From Keefe Rafferty: “I was fortunate to be able to meet in person with incoming Head of School, Ian Craig, at Metairie Park Country Day School where he is currently interim. Meeting included introductions in his office, my Rumsey memories I shared with him, and a tour of Metairie Park Country Day. It was great to be able to meet Ian while I was still stationed in New Orleans directly before moving to Oahu, Hawaii in February 2021 where I currently am stationed at Special Operations Command Pacific until 2023.

Finally, on February 16, 2021, I got married outside New Orleans on a southern plantation to my now wife Sara Rafferty. I look forward to when I can show her Rumsey's beautiful campus and introduce her to the Rumsey family.

Mahalo!”

CLASS OF 2013 From Chandler Houldin: “I graduated in May (2021) with my Ed.M. in Higher Education from Harvard's Graduate School of Education. Photo (left to right): Carter Houldin ‘16 and Chandler '13 with parents Carol and Spencer.”

Reagan Ketchum graduated from Ursinus College in May 2020 with a B.A. in Communications. He is living and working in Philadelphia as a Scientific Recruiter for Aerotek.

CLASS OF 2016 Jamel Smith visited campus in late spring!

Stairs…

To nowhere?

To somewhere?

You tell me – what do YOU see –

An adventure into the woods…

A climb into the future…

A walk down memory lane…

– let the stairs tell you a story,

lead you to a positive path

Of a glorious future filled with

expectations, fond memories,

stories to repeat again and

again, happiness, sadness,

lessons learned, lessons taught A path with no ending, only new beginnings…

Embrace the imagination, Enjoy the Journey!

- Trish Silvernail, Assistant to Advancement

Annie Hubbard and Patricio Alvarez visited campus in late spring!

Stairs leading to the woods of Rumsey's upper campus.

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class notes

CLASS OF 2007

class notes

CLASS OF 2017 From Charles Forman: “I graduated high school from York Prep in 2020. Shortly thereafter, I got a summer internship working as a Marketing Coordinator for The World Values Network, a media based non-profit. Here, I help manage our events and online marketing for our organization’s millions of followers across social channels. Furthermore, I have met with multiple high-profile figures most recently, Former Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.

During the summer before my Senior year, I started an online blog about video games called Disclosed Gamer where I employed multiple staff writers, as well as built a following of over 40,000 people globally across platforms. I also wrote hundreds of articles for this publication.

Additionally, I started working as a part-time Marketing Coordinator for a new beverage startup called Sesh Beverages, where I am working on developing unique marketing strategies.

In the fall of 2020 I started college at Binghamton University where I am majoring in English on a pre-law track. I intend to study business law. I have been elected to be the Business Manager of my University's newspaper, The Binghamton Review, which I regularly write for. Additionally, I write for the Binghamton Law Quarterly, and have made school-wide impacts to change policies.”

IN MEMORIAM: George Louis Alvarez ’49 Matthew George Baldwin ’15 Miles Alpert-Braun ’13 Maya Cointreau ’89 Eno Compton, III ’58 John Grosvenor Cross ’52 Winslow H. Duke ’44 David W. Egee ’52 Cortlandt Heyniger ’68

After receiving offers from several colleges and universities across the country, Sebastian Sagar committed to Georgia Tech for football in July 2020.

Thaddeus F. Hyatt ’44 Gary Lownds ’80

CLASS OF 2018 After graduating from The Hotchkiss School this spring, Benjamin Weiss will be attending Middlebury College as a member of the class of 2025.

Alexander Salvatore and Gustavo Gonzalez went skiing together in Vail, Colorado in March 2021.

Eric C. Newkirk ’72 Caitlin Paisley ’99 Benjamin Vereen ’81 Lewis Whipple ’52

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The Annual Fund is an investment in our most valuable resources.

Every gift to Rumsey's Annual Fund allows our students and faculty access to the best teaching and learning resources. These opportunities, and countless others across our campus, are made possible through the generosity of Rumsey Parents and Alumni. Please consider supporting our 202122 Annual fund.

For more information, please contact Michelle Rittler, Associate Director of Advancement / Parent & Alumni Relations, at (860) 868-0535 or by making a gift online.

rumseyhall.org/makeagift

We’d love to hear from you!

Visit rumseyhall.org/classnotes to send us your class notes.

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120 Y

ears Old

RUMSEY CELEBRATES WITH OUR FAMOUS COOKIES

To honor our 120-year birthday milestone this year, our chefs whipped up some of our famous Original Rumsey Hall School Cookies for students.

We hold our traditions close to our heart here, and a very special tradition is our Head of School cookie line—that momentous time of day when students take a break from class activities to greet the Head of School and walk away with a morsel of yumminess to sweeten their day.

Are you curious to know/remember just how delicious Rumsey cookies are?

To commemorate this token year, we're releasing our famous cookie recipe so you can bake up a batch at home. Go ahead, apply that 'Rumsey Effort' in your kitchens and get baking!

Retired Headmaster Tom Farmen waits in the rain to hand out cookies to Rumsey students in 2011.

Students wait with anticipation for their turn at the cookie line on December 1, 1969.

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RUMSEY HALL O riginal Baker Beware!

One bite of these cinnamon-drizzled puffs of magic and you'll be transported back to Blue Dog territory—back to the scent of autumn wafting through Upper School street; the bonfire warmth of a dorm gathering; the exuberance of ringing the Rumsey victory bell after a grueling soccer match. Back to campus... back to the golden days.

Cookies

COOKIE INGREDIENTS 1 cup butter 2 cups light brown sugar 2 eggs 1/4 cup milk 3 1/2 cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. vanilla

COOKIE INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend ingredients. Make walnut-sized balls with the dough and flatten with a glass dipped in cold water. Bake for ten minutes.

FROSTING INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar 3 Tbspn. butter melted in 3 Tbspn. hot milk and 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. cinnamon pinch of salt

FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS

Beat for two minutes and then let stand for three minutes. Beat for two minutes again and then spread onto cooled cookies.

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Rumsey Hall School

201 Romford Road Washington, CT 06794 Parents of Alumni: If this publication is addressed to your child and they no longer maintain this address, please send updated information to alumni@rumseyhall.org.

Thank you!